n March 5, before a packed room of members at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, in New York City, ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento reported record revenues of $785 million and royalty payments of $680 million for 2006, as well as an all-time low operating expense ratio of 12.0 percent.

Since the inception of ASCAP more than nine decades ago, the Society's primary goal has been to protect the rights of its songwriter and composer members — in the marketplace, in the courts and in the halls of Congress. Legislative challenges to our rights have arisen many times in our history.

Rudy Perez and Beyoncé are working on Beyoncé's first Spanish language album, including her biggest hits, with lyrics written by Rudy. The album will include a duet with Mexican recording superstar and Grammy winner Alejandro Fernández.

The members of Black Market and Atlantic Records' Mollie Moore (fourth from left) recently stopped by the ASCAP offices in Los Angeles to pick up the latest issue of Playback. Greeting them were ASCAP's Josh Briggs (in back) and Jennifer Knoepfle (far right).

Pictured in March, during Canadian Music Week at Canada's International Music Convention in Toronto, are panelists: ASCAP Senior VP, Creative, John Alexander, songwriter- producer Glen Ballard and ASCAP Executive VP Todd Brabec.

The sweet bluegrass sounds of Cherry Holmes filled the air at Lincoln Center recently. Pictured backstage after their performance are the members of Cherry Holmes with ASCAP's Loretta Muñoz and Jim Steinblatt.

This is the first installment of a series of short articles discussing how ASCAP processes performances of music in film and television and pays royalties to our members. The centerpiece for processing performances of music in audio-visual programming is the cue sheet.

This is the first installment of a series of short articles discussing how ASCAP processes performances of music in film and television and pays royalties to our members. The centerpiece for processing performances of music in audio-visual programming is the cue sheet.

The day before the 2007 Sundance Film Festival kicked off, a group of individuals gathered at the Sundance Resort to watch a screening of Everything's Cool, a documentary about "a handful of global warming messengers speaking out in a time of disinformation."

ASCAP and The Deli, a free magazine covering the New York City indie music scene, presented a night of the Big Apple's best live bands at The Annex on February 28, 2007. The night featured local up-and-coming favorites Maplewood, Inouk, Vampire Weekend and Apollo Sunshine.

In January, ASCAP's Todd Brabec joined in honoring Joni Mitchell's induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. James Taylor performed Mitchell's classic song, "Woodstock," in her honor.

ASCAP hosted a brunch reception, and along with the SCL, co-sponsored a screening of the new MGM feature film, Home of the Brave, at the Linwood Dunn Screening Room in Hollywood on November 18. ASCAP composer Stephen Endelman, who composed the score and produced the end title song, "Try Not to Remember," written and performed by Sheryl Crow, was featured with Crow in a Q&A following the film, moderated by SCL past president and composer Ray Colcord.

ASCAP was the principal and only platinum sponsor of the 2006 Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference, held in November at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Events included sessions and panels on music for film and TV as well as live performances and roundtable discussions.

ASCAP member Eric von Schmidt died on February 2 in Connecticut while recovering from a stroke and complications from Lyme Disease. The folk/blues performer and songwriter was 75. Von Schmidt was best known as an early inspiration of Bob Dylan (on Dylan's 1962 self-titled debut album, he introduced the track, "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down," by saying: "I first heard this from Ric von Schmidt. He lives in Cambridge.")

The American Academy of Arts and Letters has announced fifteen recipients of this year's awards in music, which total $165,000. ASCAP composers receiving awards this year include: Leonardo Balada, Mason Bates and Ben Johnston with Academy Awards in Music; Shih-Hui Chen and Seung-Ah Oh (BUMA) with Goddard Lieberson fellowships; Arlene Sierra and Aleksandra Vrebalov with Charles Ives Fellowships; and Zachary Wadsworth and Orianna Webb with Charles Ives Scholarships.

The ASCAP Foundation has named Raymond J. Lustig as the recipient of The ASCAP Foundation Rudolf Nissim Prize. The Prize was awarded for Unstuck, a 17-minute work in three movements, which was selected from over 300 submissions. Lustig receives a $5,000 cash prize.

Sebastian Currier has been honored with the prestigious Grawemeyer Award in Musical Composition for his work, Static, which was commissioned by Copland House for its resident Music from Copland House ensemble, with funds from Meet the Composer's Commissioning Music/USA program.

Columbia University's School of the Arts has honored composer John Zorn with the William Schuman Award, a major recognition given periodically over the past twenty-five years. Named for its first recipient William Schuman, the award, in the form of a direct, unrestricted grant of $50,000, is one of the largest to an American composer.

ASCAP and the SCL presented a screening of Bobby in December at the Linwood Dunn Theatre in Hollywood. The film, directed by Emilio Estevez, revisits the night Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in 1968 through the eyes of 22 individuals who are all at the Hotel for different reasons.

For the second year running, ASCAP was proud to recognize the achievements of writers from the Swedish performing right organization (STIM). Several songs were amongst the most performed in the U.S. in 2005 and the writers of those songs were presented with awards marking their success.

Bo Pepper is steadily becoming one of the UK's buzz bands. Influenced by the likes of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Killers and The Strokes, Bo Pepper are as yet unsigned, but this hasn't stopped them from attracting huge praise and a devoted fanbase.

Canadian and British rockers, Dragonette, make sharp, witty electronic pop music, including dirty, hook-heavy songs like "I Get Around" and "Competition," depicting a world of guilt-free promiscuity and sexual predators on the prowl.

In March, Britain's "Making Your Mind Up" contest failed to send favorites, Justin Hawkins and Beverlie Brown, through to the Eurovision finals in Helsinki with Justin Hawkins' song "They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To." Having taken time out from their recording schedules at the persistence of the BBC, Justin and Beverlei remain unperturbed by the outcome as they now concentrate on the more serious business of making albums.

ASCAP Senior Vice President Connie Bradley was recently honored with the Harmony Award at the 22nd annual Symphony Ball in Nashville at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The Harmony Award, the Symphony's highest honor, is presented to individuals who have demonstrated continued interest and support of music in Nashville. Songwriter and ASCAP board member Jimmy Webb performed at the gala event.

ASCAP showcased several top songwriter members in front of a standing room only crowd at KCRS Live! Reigning ASCAP Country Songwriter- Artist of the Year John Rich hosted the guitar pull that featured Gretchen Wilson, John Anderson, Craig Wiseman (2003 & 2005 Country Songwriter of the Year and Rivers Rutherford (2006 Country Songwriter of the Year).

ASCAP presented a new music showcase called "U-Pop Sessions" on February 15 at the legendary Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios, the home of the Beatles. A mix of signed and unsigned bands was invited to perform a set to be broadcast live across satellite station Worldspace Radio.

As part of the continuing series of screenings presented by The Society of Composers and Lyricists and co-sponsored by ASCAP, composer Javier Navarette (SGAE) discussed his Oscar-nominated score from Pan's Labyrinth following a screening of the film at Hollywood's Laemmle Theater in February. Navarette was interviewed by SCL President and ASCAP composer, Dan Foliart.

ASCAP honored 10 chamber music and jazz ensembles, festivals and presenters for their adventurous programming during the 2005-06 concert season at the annual Chamber Music America Conference, held January 11 - 14, at the Westin Hotel in New York City.

Two jazz works, commissioned by ASCAP in memory of Billy Strayhorn, were premiered on January 11 during the Opening General Session at the IAJE (International Association for Jazz Education) Conference held at the Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom in New York City.

Dany Tomas, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, started his career in music at age 15, writing music for TV and radio commercials. By age 21, he wrote his first two #1 songs on the Argentinean charts, and other countries as well. The songs, "Alguien la vio Partir" and "Estamos Juntos," were recorded by top-selling Argentinian artist Diego Torres.

When Kellie Pickler was younger, she would sit with her grandmother on their porch swing and sing songs from her grandmother's songbook. Pickler would also bring out a boom box and sing along to some of her favorite artists – LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Tammy Wynette, and especially Dolly Parton.

Mike Rowe has tackled nearly 150 of the smelliest, messiest and most back-breaking occupations imaginable as the host of Discovery Channel's popular series Dirty Jobs. Rowe works alongside sludge cleaners, garbage recyclers, avian vomitologists and other professionals performing an honest day's work. In cleaner days, Rowe sang professionally with The Baltimore Opera.

To say that Robert Schneider is excited about the new record by The Apples in Stereo, entitled New Magnetic Wonder, is an understatement. The CD is an impeccable pop-meets-psychedelic rock recording, filled with track after track of upbeat but compelling music. However, the band's first recording in five years didn't come easy for Schneider.

Cory Branan is not a singer-songwriter who picks up an acoustic guitar to reveal a bleeding heart. He's a gregarious, witty, poignant observer who delights in confounding listeners' expectations in character-filled songs with unusual storylines. His 2006 release, 12 Songs, highlights his quieter and louder musical sides, but beyond the wide range of music and mood, it is Branan's lyrics that really stands out.

Born with a musical name and into an artistic family, Elvis Perkins almost had to become a music creator. Son of actor Anthony Perkins and photographer/model Berry Berenson, Elvis lost each of his parents to the scourges of our time – AIDS, which killed Anthony Perkins on September 10, 1992, and terrorism -- Berry Berenson was a passenger on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Kari Kimmel's story was almost one of those classic music industry tales in which the talented protagonist almost makes it, but success is elusive. While she did get caught up in the politics of a major record label and her project was shelved, thankfully, along the way Kimmel had time to write (delivering a major hit single for American Idol Kimberley Locke with "I Could") and continued to record her project.

Tripping Lily is an acoustic quartet that plays jaunty, ear-catching modern folk music with snappy rhythms and smart lyrics. The group includes Alex and Demetrius Brecelis, brothers who share mandolin, guitar and vocals, Monica Ruzzio on fiddle and vocals, and Laird Boles on upright bass.

MICKEY CARROLL with the Arts for Complete Education/Florida Alliance for the Arts Education award for his Mother J musical based on his overall concern for the issues facing young people, families and community., JAMES CITKOVIC as a finalist for an Award of Excellence from Goodnight Kiss Music for outstanding professional service to musicians., DARIA, multi-cultural performer and children's recording artist, with the 2007 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Commentary Award., and more...

AVIVA to composer DAVID MAJZLIN'S new world music label, Global Perspective Records. Aviva's debut, Songs for Carmen, is released in April and it fuses flamenco, classical, electronic and Arabic music., BOMB SQUAD united with vocalist and American Idol finalist Brenna Gethers. The funk-rock band was hand selected by Dick Clark to be a part of the 2003 American Music Awards competition for Best Unsigned Act, which they won., CARBELLION to Indie 500 Records. The label released Carbellion's debut, Villain, January 2007., and more...

KYLE GANN as a 2007 Master Artists-In-Residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Fl., TODD GOODMAN as Resident Composer of the McKeesport Symphony Orchestra, the Beaver Valley Philharmonic and the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Pennsylvania., SEAN HICKEY Composer-in-Residence with the Metro Chamber Orchestra, a New York ensemble.

Go to the movies, turn on your TV or radio - you have probably heard at least one song by New York-via-Cleveland singer-songwriter, Goat (aka Andrew Rosen, son of baseball legend, Al Rosen). Best known for the track "Great Life" from the long-running KIA commercials, Goat has licensed over 16 songs that have appeared worldwide in films, television and radio.

The Rhino Handmade imprint recently issued a limited edition two-disc set chronicling the career of one of pop music's great eccentrics, Judy Henske. The collection, Big Judy: How Far the Music Goes (1962 - 2004), covers a 42-year period that saw Henske gain notoriety as a folk/beatnik comedienne, morph into a rock and roller and finally settle into an artist beyond category.

Pihcintu is a Passamaquoddy Indian word meaning "when he sings his voice carries far." Pihcintu is also the name of an immigrant children's chorus comprising 38 young people from 17 countries who all currently live in Portland, Maine.

The infectious grooves of Detroit, Michigan's renowned rock reggae band The Process continue to gather fans in their wake. Founded in 1989 by vocalist David Asher and guitarist Garrick Owen, and joined soon after by bassist/programmer Bill Heffelfinger, the band's commitment and prowess soon established them as a force to be reckoned with.

JOHN AMBROSIO'S Choir Starters, a vocal publication of ten American folk songs arranged for two voices., LEROY ANDERSON'S The Music of Leroy Anderson. This DVD of the late musicians' work is released close to 100 years since he was born., PATTI AUSTIN'S Avant-Gershwin. The album finds the remarkable entertainer moving beyond basic covers of Gershwin songs and taking risks with the music and meaning., and more...

JAMES ADLER'S A Winter Triptych for chorus, horn and harp by The Fairfield County Chorale at their "Wint'ry Mix" concert on December 10, 2006, in Norwalk, CT. , ANTONIO BRETT'S Danzon for concert guitar on February 28, 2007, at the Rehearsal Hall in Orlando, FL., BARBARA BRUSSELL at the closing of Danny's Skylight Cabaret Room in New York City., DONAVEE CHAPPELL at Jungle Red in Minneapolis, MN. He was performing his new songs "I Can Do Bang," "Reconcile" and "You and I.", and more...

LEE ACTOR by Palo Alto Philharmonic, where he is Composer-in-Residence, to write a new work, Symphony No. 2. PHILLIP BIMSTEIN by Western Kentucky University to compose "Cats in the Kitchen." It is to be premiered in Bowling Green, KY, and Logan, UT, in the spring of 2007. LINDA BOUCHARD (SOCAN), VINCENT HO (SOCAN), MARK KILSTOFTE, PETER KNELL, WILLIAM KRAFT, KAROLA OBERMULLER (GEMA), MARTA PTASZYNSKIA and ERIK ULMAN by Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University., and more...

B@BE'S "Can't Help It" on The Rap Game Needs Me: The Gangsta Compilation., ALAN BREWER'S score in the new Ashley Judd film, Come Early Morning., JOHN CORIGLIANO and LEONARD BERNSTEIN'S work by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during their "Listen to Your Imagination" 2007-2008 season., MITCHEL DELEVIE and DAVID P. MURPHY'S "Hope and Heartbreaker" represented the United States in the Festival de Vina del Mar in Chile in February 2007., and more...

Irving Burgie, a great composer of Caribbean music, has established a new scholarship to be presented annually to an African-American songwriter from New York City. The ASCAP Foundation Irving Burgie Scholarship alternates between Berklee College of Music and the University of Southern California.

Cy Coleman on composing "The Best Is Yet to Come" with longtime collaborator Carolyn Leigh. Melanie on performing at Woodstock. Hy Zaret on wanting to set up and write songs for a Peace Foundation. Jay Morgenstern speaking about the changes in the music business and how those changes have affected the distribution of music.

One hundred fifth graders from Harlem's PS 123, Mahalia Jackson School, learned how to be Wicked (in a good way) when composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz visited them in preparation for a Broadway matinee performance of his Tony Award-winning musical, Wicked.

Since 2000, The ASCAP Foundation has partnered with the VH1 Save the Music Foundation and Warner Bros. Publications - recently acquired by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. to provide sheet music, band arrangements and folios to thousands of public school students nationwide through our "Music in the Schools" music education program.

Computers have pretty much taken over as the center of the music recording process, and with the ever-increasing speed and power of both desktops and laptops, they're becoming more common on live stages, as well.

Computers have pretty much taken over as the center of the music recording process, and with the ever-increasing speed and power of both desktops and laptops, they're becoming more common on live stages, as well.

Devices that combine MIDI and audio interfacing for computers have been around for awhile, but the AREA 61 adds a very valuable element to the equation: It's also a standalone sound generator capable of creating classic synthesizer tones.